


Magic Supreme

by Marvelomaniac



Category: Doctor Strange (Comics), Iron Man (Comics), Marvel, Marvel (Comics)
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe, BAMF Tony Stark, Bisexual Male Character, Bisexual Tony Stark, Black Markets, Gay, How Do I Tag, I Ship It, Kamar-Taj (Marvel), M/M, Magic, Magic-Users, Magical Artifacts, Marvel Universe, Multiverse, New York City, Owls, POV Alternating, POV Multiple, POV Stephen Strange, POV Tony Stark, Pansexual Character, Protective Tony Stark, Romance, Slow Romance, Stephen Strange & Wong Friendship, Tony Stark Does What He Wants
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24513013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marvelomaniac/pseuds/Marvelomaniac
Summary: Tony Stark and Stephen Strange are the ancient one's most prized pupils. Tony Stark, the armoured sorcerer and Stephen Strange, the sorcerer supreme.Now, the ancient one has passed and the world is need of new protectors of the mystical world.Tony and Stephen are up to the task.
Relationships: Ancient One & Tony Stark, Edwin Jarvis & Tony Stark, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Comments: 8
Kudos: 31





	1. I'm Dying to Start

**Author's Note:**

> I was up thinking and was like:
> 
> Why not write about Tony being a sorcerer, it's comic canon that he becomes Sorcerer Supreme but what if he was brought up in the mystic arts?
> 
> Also, why not include some IronStrange? I love them a lot.

"That was Stephen Strange?" A man's voice broke the silence as the approach of footsteps followed in an easy stride towards the large, frostbitten window viewing the snowy scenery of the Himalayan mountains.

"Yes it was." At the window, an elder man sat draped in white monk robes, almost blending into the outside view of falling snow as he sat cross-legged to the face of the glass.

"He didn't look like a Sorcerer Supreme." The figure approaching the window had been outfitted in clothes of a different fashion. He had been dressed in a large velvet red and golden trimmed trench coat, a white dress shirt and a black pair of slim fitting dress pants and shoes with trinkets and earrings of gold attached his person. "I expected someone who looked less like a hobo and more like an actual sorcerer." The figure sat by the white robed man.

"Appearances can be deceiving young one. There is much potential in him. The very same potential I saw in you when you came to us." The elder breathed. " He will come around. Give him some time."

"So you're saying I'm Sorcerer Supreme material?" A smirk pulled onto the face of the young man.

"Humility young master."

The room went silent. The darkness surrounding them was kept at bay by the light of several candles before the pair of men inside the Tibetan temple.

Metallic ringed hands pushed up from the floorboard, a creak sounding in response to the pressure. "So what do you want me to do? I don't usually get summoned by the ancient one to chat about hobo sorcerers."

"Perceptive as always." The elderly one rose to his feet and met the gleam of blue ocean eyes, contrasting both the white outside the window and darkness around them. "You are to guide him young master."

The other man replied with a raise of brows and disbelieving blinks. "Me? Why not Wong? That's his schtick or even Mordo."

"You and I know that Mordo is too lost to guide another and we cannot entrust him with the future of the next Sorcerer Supreme. Wong will do his duties but he needs your guidance to stay along the path he is destined to."

The young master briefly scratched at his goatee. "Hmm...ok." He then shrugged. "I don't have anything better to do and since Wong's there, I might have some fun. What are you going to do ancient one?"

The elder hummed. "I have stared into this window to see what lies ahead of the white of the mountains, I saw Stephen arrive and then I saw him facing the mountains himself, after that I do not see anything else." He then turned to the door to make his exit.

The young man followed behind. "Does that mean... Master that...is this where we part ways?" 

The ancient one extended his arm to open the door only for it push itself open. "Yes." He departed from the room before turning back to his student and holding open the door.

In a swift motion, a metallic creature silently descended through the doorway and perched onto the young man's shoulder. The youth was silent as he ran a hand through raven dark hair. "Master..."

"My time has come. Watch him as I watched you and guide as I guided you. You are his rock. Hold him up as I did for you."

"...When should I meet him master?" 

"You will know when."

The student nodded solemnly. "Goodbye Master." A burst of blue sparks and he had disappeared, leaving the room darkened by the extinguish of the candle lights.

The elder closed the door. This would be the begining of a new era. One he'd never fully see but one he was gladdened to have ushered in, one he raised his brightest student in and one his successor would defend.

Another door closed as a new door opened.

Months had passed and what happened in those mountains never left the minds of those who'd been there. The betrayal, the teachings, the passing. All of it watched on by the seen eyes and unseen eyes in that temple.

More time slipped by and the advent of Stephen Strange came to be. He'd proven to be just as skilled a man and a Sorcerer as the ancient one told but he was still not there yet. He was talented, dedicated and resourceful but he was also arrogant. The old man never liked that in his students. Nonetheless, he was pushing forward in his duties and had accomplished many impressive feats.

It was time.

Stephen entered the Sanctum Sanctorum. He was disheveled, tired and on edge. He simply wanted a bath and some rest so imagine his surprise when he was not greeted by Wong but by a figure in a red trenchcoat staring out at New York through the large, circular-structured window in the upper level of the building.

In short, he didn't think, he reacted.

"By the crimson bands of-"

Crimson bands did form but they weren't Stephen's. They had risen from the wooden floors of the sanctum and had made quick work to silence Stephen by wrapping over his mouth.

The cloak broke from Stephen's body only to be subdued by a crimson net and strung up on the ceiling.

Stephen then began to gesture his hands to enact a spell only to find his hands had been constricted. Smaller bands had gripped his individual digits and forced his hands into a wide opened palm.

He couldn't move. He couldn't speak and he was at the complete mercy of this mysterious stranger. 

Said stranger turned to Stephen as an iron mechanism modelled after a snow owl silently flew to his shoulder with bright, wide blue eyes, staring at Stephen.

"You're confused. I can tell but don't worry. I'm not gonna hurt or kill you." The mysterious figure spoke. It was a man's voice, the tone was calm and reassuring whilst being slightly charismatic. It was enchanting. "Just calm down."

Stephen's breathing was ragged as he struggled and panicked, the bonds tightening in retaliation to his struggle. The Sorcerer Supreme soon found himself lessening his resistance which was odd since his adrenaline should have been peaking through the roof right now. Being bound by a man you couldn't see was usually frightening and in other cases arousing but never calming. It must have been an enchantment but when did he have time do that?

Stephen's voice muffled through the constraints over his mouth.

"Sorry, my bad." The man snapped his fingers and Stephen was freed of the crimson restraints, his cloak simultaneously being freed before resuming it's station over Stephen's shoulders.

Stephen rubbed his wrists, soothing the ache of his formerly restricted hands as best as he could with the damage they'd already been through. "You-"

"-Didn't recite the words to the spell to use cyttorak's power? I know I'm amazing. It's a psy-magic trick I picked up from another earth." The other man finished.

"Who are you?" Stephen asked.

"Oh wait- again my bad. I know who you are and I didn't even introduce myself, Jarvis, give me some lighting." 

"Yes sir." The mechanical bird took flight from its owner and soared around the room.

Stephen's eyes widened in surprise. "Did that owl just-"

"Talk? Yeah he does that a lot. You get used to it." 

Stephen watched as the owl made a full circle around the two before landing back on his master's shoulder, the contact between the two sparking a curtain of beady lights to form in the darkness around them like stars in the outer cosmos.

Stephen finally could see the man and was he blessed. The other man, shorter in stature but dressed fashionably in fine tailored clothing. His deep midnight hair shinning in the bath of light while his blue eyes gleamed with a joyful spark in companionship with his roguish smirk that fitted the well groomed facial hair. 

He looked amazing.

Stephen just looked like shit.

"I'm master Anthony Stark of Kamar Taj, otherwise titled as "the armoured sorcerer". You, Stephen Strange can call me Tony."


	2. Demons in the closet?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get pressed concerning introductions and a scuffle breaks out. The armoured Sorcerer shines and Wong makes his entrance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo! I'm so hyped by the comments to this, really is a great motivator for writing. I also had to just say happy pride month! I am having a lot of fun writing these guys and kind of building on the world so far. This really gave me the chance to plan out the entire Iron Man lore in this setting. Don't worry it'll all be included but for now I'm focusing on these boys and establishing everything. We should get into the sense of their normal in about the next chapter. Yeah that should be right but hey, while I did plan the mythos, I'm up to hear exactly what you have to say and what you think about the story so far. Drop a comment, make suggestions or just say hi. I do mean it, I appreciate all the comments and kudos, it's a great motivation and besides developing this world. Anyways I'm out, have a blessed day and stay safe with Corona out there.

Stephen was still processing everything but finally, he found himself able to speak. "What are you doing in my house?"

"Well..." Tony snapped his fingers and the lights around them gathered into his hands and formed a singular orb lamp. "Do you remember the ancient one?" That was obviously rhetorical as Tony didn't let Stephen answer. "Good, 'course you do. See he tasked me with assisting you in your duties as the one and only Sorcerer Supreme."

"He sent you?" Stephen scoffed. "Now I know you're lying. The ancient one is dead."

"Well duh!" Tony exclaimed. "He sent me before he died."

"Right well how come I've never met you? How is it that you and I never crossed paths in Kamar Taj?" Stephen questioned.

"I'm what people would refer to as a secret weapon. The people of Kamar Taj don't talk about me because public people don't and shouldn't know I exist." Tony shrugged. "Something about me being too powerful to ever be trusted by the normal people without getting shot at."

"You're that dangerous?" 

"No. I'm not dangerous, that implies that I threaten the existence of innoncent people around me without meaning to." Tony rocked his head sideways as he pondered the right words to use. "I'm just powerful."

Stephen nodded slowly as he arched a doubtful brow at the man before passing his hand above the small of Tony's back and guiding him through the room. "Alright well it was nice meeting you Anthony-"

"Tony." The other sorcerer interrupted. "Also why do you smell like fish?"

"-Anthony but if you would gladly leave and never reappear in my house again then that would be deeply appreciated." The two then came to the door as Stephen gestured at the exit.

Tony raised a brow. "I'm here to help you. What part of that didn't you understand?" 

"The part where all of it sounded completely implausible." Stephen rebutted, emphasizing back to the exit.

Tony huffed and closed the door before looking to Stephen. "All of that is completely plausible, you're implausible."

Stephen opened the door again."Right. How about you get a dictionary while you're in New York?"

Tony rolled his eyes before stepping up to Stephen, outlining the small difference in height between the pair as he looked up at the Sorcerer Supreme. "Why don't you believe me?"

Stephen's brows dropped to a sarcastic frame. "Would you believe someone who came and gave you that story after you just got home tired and exhausted?" 

"Yes." Tony answered nonchalantly. "It's our job as sorcerers to believe this stuff especially in the time and world we live in." 

Stephen groaned. "Listen, you're starting to get really annoying." Stephen tilted his head to the door. "Leave. Now."

"Make me beanstalk." Tony hissed. "Why can't you just see that I'm not lying?"

"Because what you said doesn't add up." Stephen countered. "I've met all the masters and none of them spoke about you. You haven't shown me enough adept skill in magic to prove you're a master."

"The star light show thing!" Tony exclaimed.

Stephen made a quick gesture and the orb Tony held quickly reformed into the previous state he had summoned them in. "I can do that. That's not special, a street magician can do that."

Tony looked to his now empty hand then Stephen."How did you-"

"It's my skill. I can syphon the magic of others and use it for myself." Stephen answered. "Now leave before I use your magic to blast you out."

"Wait I can prove it." Tony looked to the owl. "Jarvis. Pull up the recordings of the conversations between the old man and I."

"Yes sir." The owl's eyes then turned blue before it hopped off of Tony's shoulder and turned its head to a more open space in the sanctum. Quickly, beams of light had been projected from the machine's eyes before a figure of the ancient one appeared.

"What did you do?" Stephen asked.

"Holographic technomancy." Tony grinned as he closed the door once more.

Stephen looked to the hologram. It was a spitting image of the elder master, every wrinkle, every fold in the fabric of his robes, all displayed perfectly like he was really there... Like he was still here.

Strange glared at Tony, opening the door as if he was trying to rip it from the hinges. "Get out."

"Hey! you didn't even hear the recording yet." Tony whined as he slammed the door.

"I don't care, you don't get to come in here and bring up images of my dead mentor."

"He was my master as well." 

"You have yet to prove that." Stephen snarled.

"If you actually let me finish then I could prove it." 

"Even if you did show me, you could have faked that." Stephen retorted.

"Why are you being such a bitch?" 

"Excuse me? Stephen furrowed his brows.

"You heard me. A bitch."

"You little asshole." Sparks of magical energy flittered from Stephen's hands.

"You wanna go-" Tony stopped in his tracks when the owl tugged at his pants.

"Sir, I'm detecting an infernal presence in the sanctum." Jarvis informed.

Tony looked up from Jarvis to Stephen. "Demons in the closet?"

"That can't be. I just finished dealing with one before I got here."

"You obviously didn't do it well enough mr. Sorcerer Supreme." Tony replied, mocking the man's title while speaking.

Stephen sneered. "How are you so sure that the owl isn't malfunctioning?" 

"Jarvis is never wrong about these kinds of things." Tony bent down and picked up the owl gently into his arms. "What demon was it?"

"An Atlantean sea demon." Stephen answered.

"Jarvis?"

The owl manuevered its head to a nod. "Exactly the presence sir."

"This demon got a name?" Tony enquired.

"Not one I cared to know before I banished it." Stephen muttered.

Tony turned to Stephen before flicking a finger to his forehead. "Idiot."

"Ow." Stephen rubbed the afflicted area. "What are you talking about?"

"You're supposed to banish the demon using it's name. That's demonology 101." Tony snapped. "Jarvis, where is it?" 

"It's in the room sir." The owl then fluttered it's metallic wings, Tony releasing the bird as it proceeded to circle around its master.

Tony looked around. "Where did you encounter this demon?" Tony questioned.

"In the deeper reaches of the imprisonment pits of Atlantis." Stephen answered. 

Stephen hadn't noticed but the sun had fallen, the moon was not out tonight, the clouds were currently layering over it and darkening the sky, slowly casting the sanctum in a layer of darkness as the shadows creeped over them from the window.

"So basically if it was a fish, it'd be in the twilight zone?"

The mystical wisps lights suddenly vanished vanished.

"Well fuck." Tony's voice echoed.

Stephen quickly formed a small group magical circles around his arm to glow faintly in the deep black pitch of the room around them.

"Anthony?" Stephen shifted his arm to cast light in search of the other male but to no avail, he could not see him anywhere within the dark space.

Curse the sanctum's bad lighting.

"Stark?" Stephen called.

A light glow flickered as an arm braced in the same enchantments as Stephen's appeared. "Stephen! I'm here!"

Stephen hastened over to the glow. "Gods, don't wander far, I need to find this thing and banish it properly before it kills someone"

"I know, just come over here so we don't get picked off."

Stephen drew closer to the arm before he realised something. Why wasn't Tony's enchantment shining like normal light. It was only showing his arm but normally, light conveys the sight of anything it touches before bouncing back to the eyes to be processed as an image. In this case, it was only showing an arm when Stephen should have been seeing more than that. He should have seen Tony's figure, his face, his legs but there was just an arm.

Bad timing to remember human sensory and light mechanics.

Stephen stopped only to have a pair of giant, sharp-toothed jaws snap forward at him.

"Shield of the seraphim!" His quick reaction allowed him a defense but his haste formed it in a flimsy manner.

The shield broke as the teeth chomped harder, turning the whole dome into mystical shards of energy.

Everything slowed down for Stephen. He could see everything as it was, he could see the shard of energy dissolve to nothingness, he could see the arm he'd been fooled by turn to a faint light and he could see his entire life flash before him. His body went limp as a chill ran up his spine. He needed to move but he was so petrified. He couldn't speak, he couldn't cast an incantation. He just stood there about to be torn in half by a pair of demonic jaws. He was going to die and he was afraid.

A flash of blue and the jaws threatening to consume Stephen had been dislocated as its owner had been sent flying into the wall nearby, shaking the building as it slammed slammed and dropped to the floor.

Stephen blinked. His mind finally coming back to him as he followed the trail of blue energy to it's source. 

It was a gargantuan arm stretched forward into a punching fist, white steel shining in the dark with streams of blue energy trailing within it like veins in flesh. At the latter end of the arm was Tony, holding his arm out in tandem with the metallic one while glaring fiercely and intently at the beast.

A light formed between Tony and the creatute. All was revealed. The demon looked like something straight out of a horror movie. Large in stature, black scales covering it's skin with teeth as sharp and as long as spears and several large, blank eyes staring at them both. In between its eyes was a large antenna attached to a now dim light. The creature was much like a monstrous hybrid of an angler fish and salamander but as the light shined, it slinked into the shadows like a frightened lizard while hissing.

"You okay?" Tony asked.

Stephen nodded slowly. "Yeah."

Tony's eyes had been charged with a fiery blue, the lowest level of heat that fire could radiate but the most lively of colours Stephen had ever seen shine.

Soon Tony moved into a fighting stance. His arms stretched outwards as his fists clenched in calm strength.

Was this really the same guy who shot back at Stephen with every chance he got like a child? It didn't seem that way. This was a man with tamed strength who was using it to fight the monster in the darkness.

Soon, Stephen saw the giant metal arm split into two, reforming into a relatively smaller but large pair of steel arms as it mimicked the movements of Tony's own appenedages.

A low sounding hiss sounded through the room before Stephen saw the demon launch itself directly for Tony teeth first despite it's injury.

Tony didn't waste time. One of the Metallic arms pounded downwards onto the upper surface of the demon's cranium, slamming it into the ground before the next arm came in swinging with a hook before being followed with another. The blows all landing in succession and disorienting the beast. 

Tony was lithe and focused as he performed his punched quickly, he had been physically punching the air before him but the metallic extensions had been making serious blows, cracking bone and shaking the room with every strike it landed onto the demon.

"Jarvis take over." Tony ordered.

"Indeed sir." In a moment, Tony had began to form a magical circle as the metallic arms moved seperate to his accord, attacking the demon with a flurry of well executed punches while Tony prepped his spell.

"Hey! Beanstalk! A little help would be appreciated." Tony yelled.

Stephen awoke from his dazed spectating and locked onto Tony. "Yes? What can I help with?"

"Follow my movements and think about bright stuff." Tony instructed.

Stephen nodded as he rushed to Tony's side, watching Tony's movements before copying them and forming the circle for the spell. 

"Jarvis. Break now." Tony ordered.

The pair of arms quickly reconfigured back into the form of the small mechanical owl before Jarvis soared away from the demon.

Afterwards, two full white mystical circles had formed before the pair of sorcerers. Tony then moved over to Stephen and took his hand before speaking. "By the brightest stars of the door beyond doors. I beseech the suns of the deep wells to turn this entity to ash and nothing more."

A bright white burn then filled the Sanctum, the blast of light bathing the demon as its screams filled the Sanctum.

Tony then moved his hands, twitching individual fingers before the light grew more radiant. Finally the magical circles faded from both sorcerers as the targeted entity was reduced to cinders.

Tony let go of strange's hand and summoned a wisp of light by his side as he approached the ash to guide his steps. He moved hishands to his chest and one by one he unbuttoned his dress shirt.

"What are you doing?"

"Banishing it." Tony answered before his hand slipped the final button. 

Despite previous assumptions that Stephen had, the man was well built with a nice and firm chest but that was not the focus of his attention at the moment (well it was but slightly). His eyes were on what laid between his pectorals. 

It was a large, triangular sapphire. As Tony closed in on the demon's ashes, it glowed in stronger saturation, the gem soon becoming almost like a star as Tony sat before the pile of charred remains.

He buried his hand in the ashes. "Burn."

Soon his veins were alight as sapphire energy flowed through his body before sparking an ember in the ashes.

In no time, the ashes disappeared in the sapphire flame before Tony got up and dusted his hands off, the fires dying as they had travelled back to Tony and seeped into his hands. His veins returning to their normal state as he exhaled.

The moon finally came back to shine on them again and abruptly, the door opened, sending the two sorcerers quickly edged.

At the doorway, stood Wong with a candle in hand. He looked around, first to Stephen then to Tony before looking to Stephen. "Welcome back master strange."


	3. Now I'm seeing Sorcerer Supreme material

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With their previous danger passed, Stephen is informed of another pressing matter. The Sorcerers are on the case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do I need to say anything right now? I mean I should just to be friendly... Oh wait- I almost forgot
> 
> Shout out to Diario_De_Um_Kitsune! They've been here since the beginning and their love is always so appreciated. I don't really know how to reply to hearts though so I don't say much there but for now, I'm glad to see that you're hangin' on with this ride.
> 
> Anyways I appreciate everyone's comments! See y'all next time

Stephen laid his empty cup to rest on the table beside him, Wong taking up the dish before placing it on his tea tray.

Tony sat at the opposing end of the table, legs folded as Jarvis sat on his shoulder.

After the whole ordeal with the Atlantean demon, Wong cleared a space for Stephen and Tony sit and relax while he fetched some tea.

Stephen was quiet, still processing everything that happened. Tony on the other hand, was prattling off like machine gun. Taking advantage of Stephen's silence, he clarified everything he'd spoken of before ; his connection to the ancient one and the duty Tony had personally been assigned. 

It was passable enough reasoning.

Currently, no one was speaking. Tony had finished explaining himself and kept his ocean eyes locked onto his mechanical owl as he stroke its steel feathers.

"Why arrive now?" Stephen asked.

"The old man said that I'd know when and that when is now." Tony answered.

"What's so special about now?"

"Have you ever heard of Merlin?" Tony enquired.

"I've read about him." Stephen admitted. "In fairy tales."

"He's not a fairy tale." Wong said. 

Stephen blinked before he sat forward. "Seriously?"

Tony nodded. "Seriously. Anyways, his tome was stolen."

"Stolen?" Wong asked. "How?"

Stephen furrowed his brows jn confusion. "His tome? Like an actual book of spells and knowledge? Merlin has a tome?" 

"Yes, keep up." Tony reclined backwards into his chair. "His tome was stolen from Kamar-Taj and someone has been going around and selling pages from the tome on the mystical black market.,"

What does this have to do with me?" Stephen questioned. 

"Don't you know who Merlin was?"

"A wizard from the story of king Arthur." Stephen replied.

"He was s Sorcerer Supreme." Tony rebutted. "How do you not know that?"

"I'm new to all of this. I just finished the ancient one's seventh volunteer of arcana."

"When did you start it?"

"Three days ago."

"Seriously?"

"It's been a busy week."

Tony groaned. "Moving on, the tome of Merlin is essentially a book containing the secrets to Merlin's final treasure. Most of the book acts as an archive of Merlin's spells but within the pages are clues and maps leading his biggest secret."

"What was his biggest secret?"

Tony shrugged. "No one knows. Some people think it's a lost magical artifact, another faction thinks it's a power source and some think it's trove of ancient mystical knowledge."

Wong placed the tea tray onto a nearby table. "Who stole it?"

Tony shook head. "No one knows, anyone who would is dead."

"But why sell the pages if they have clues?" Stephen asked.

"Because jack skellington, it's all a ruse. No one in their right mind would sell anything in that tome. It wouldn't make sense."

"Not unless the pages are useless." Stephen added.

"Exactly, now I'm seeing Sorcerer Supreme material." Tony mused.

"Focus." Stephen huffed. "If that tome contains maps and clues then that means whoever did this would be selling pages off to people, claiming that they were the clues to Merlin's secret."

"And to know the pages that are useless, he'd have to be checking before selling them." Tony elaborated. "Meaning that as we speak, he's been finding the hints and clues."

"By the vishanti." Wong gasped.

"Let's go." Tony darted to his feet as he made his way across the room, Stephen following behind him in his footsteps.

"Wong. Watch the house." Stephen ordered.

"No." Tony rebuked. "Wong, head to Kamar-Taj and tell the masters to look for the pages that were sold."

Stephen tilted his head with the arch of a brow. "Excuse me, Wong works for me."

"The pages that are being sold might not hold the clues but they still have Merlin's spells archived in there and we can't afford to have those being distributed everywhere to anyone." Tony debated. "Those pages need to be found and we can't do that while we're looking for the thief. That's why Wong and the masters should search for them."

Stephen looked to Wong in acknowledgement of Tony's truth with a slight tinge of embarrassment.

Wong nodded. "Understood master." Wong approached a nearby corner of the room and took a dual bladed spear in hand before turning to Stephen. "Master Strange, your cloak is dried. The cleansing took some time but I managed to flush the curse out of it from Mordo last yesterday."

"Thank you Wong." Stephen snapped his fingers.

Soon the sound of drapes flapping enthusiastically with the wind echoed through the sanctum before a flash of red fabric darted into the room before a velvet red cloak came resting on Stephen's shoulders around the eye of agamotto.

"The cloak of levitation. That's fun." Tony turned on his heels and headed down for the nearest hall. "Ok let's go."

"I shall return when I am finished master Strange. Good day grandmaster Stark." Wong created a quick gesture, forming a portal and stepping through as he departed from the house.

"You said you were a master." Stephen remarked while turning back to Tony.

"Grandmaster, master, there's not really a difference when you're still the master of something." Tony replied as he took off into the hall.

"Where are you going?" Stephen asked.

"Looking for something. I'll be right back." Tony said as he disappeared into the next room.

"Hey, this is still my house." Stephen followed behind the man.

Stephen then found Tony in the study, quickly grabbing books and tossing them off the shelves after he skimmed through them.

"What are you looking for?" Stephen quickly rushed to Tony's side, waving his finger and causing the tossed books to float back to their places in the shelves.

"A key." Tony threw another book, an effort which only ended up with the book being magically repositioned. 

"Then why not use magic to find it?"

"The key is laced with an enchantment." Again Tony tossed another book to floor as it floated back. "It's undetectable by magic so you can't exactly just cast a spell and automatically find it."

Tony grabbed another book before his hand was held by a shaky, gloved one. Tony looked to Stephen. 

"Let me." Stephen retracted his hand and held his hands by his side as his pinky, thumb and index finger stood outwards on each hand, forming two mystical circles. 

"By the will of the Vishanti, break the earthly enchantments in this room." The glyphs faded and stephen reached for a book above Tony and scanned through the pages before pulling out a card with the king of diamonds on it and handing it to Tony.

Tony looked to Stephen in confusion. "How did you know where to look?"

"I broke the enchantment and followed the surge of mystical energy to its source." Stephen explained.

Tony smirked. "There may be hope for you yet beanstalk." 

"What's the card for?" Stephen enquired.

"This is a key to the black market." Tony tore the card in half and threw it to the floor, the remnants burning up in a bright blue flame.

"How did you know that the card was in the house?" 

"A friend told me about it from their time in the sanctum."

"Who's this friend you keep mentioning?"

"Why do your hands shake?" Tony retaliated.

"Car accident." Stephen replied.

"My friend's from another universe." Tony replied.

"What?" 

"That's all you're getting on that." The blue fire died and smoke whispered through the air before a ring formed and opened a portal. "Alright, this is it. Don't fall behind." 

Tony stepped through and Stephen followed right behind him.


	4. A friend of mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the black market of magic! The place where people come to buy any type of magic shit they want.
> 
> Tony and Stephen come to the market in search of the pages of Merlin from Tony's source only to be met with something else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yes, I'm back,I have been busy IRL, for all of you who are curious, my answer is college, even online college is a bitch who takes your time and energy and leaves with severe headaches and burnout. That's why I was gone. I'm back now and I will pick up on this and get back into the swing of writing but for now, have this!

_The portal closed behind the Sorcerer Supreme and his pupils dilated to adjust to the sight before him._ _A_ _cave_ _. They entered a cave. The cave wasn't special. No, it was just a cave._  
  
_It was dark to the point where Stephen could hardly see anything, wet enough for him to constantly walk into a puddle with every step he took, empty enough to send echoes through the area and as cave-like as you'd expect it to be, it was probably decorated with large, threatening stalactites and stalagmites because again, they were in a cave._  
  
"Tony, why are we in an empty cave?" _Stephen asked._  
  
"Hold on." _A few snaps of Tony's fingers and a ball of light appeared between he and Stephen._  
  
"Thanks." _Stephen added._  
  
"You're welcome." _Tony replied._  
  
"So this is the black market of magic?"  
  
"No. This is the hosting grounds for it." _Tony came to a stop and traced a character in the air, quickly summoning the character in front of him before he tapped it and caused the character to dissolve into the air._  
  
"What did you just do?" _Stephen inquired._  
  
"I entered the password." _Tony answered._  
  
"So is someone supposed to answer?"  
  
"They already did. Blink three times and you'll get it."  
  
_Stephen quirked a brow but did as told, blinking thrice before his eyes blew wide open at the scenery around him._  
  
_Instead of a hollow cave, Stephen was met with a luminous market right before him, lanterns and torches all hung by and above stalls, huts and tents of varying shapes and sizes._  
  
"What?" _Stephen muttered_. "Tony, how-" _He turned to his side to seek answers from his guide only to find him no longer there_. "Tony?"  
  
_Stephen quickly made strides in search for the other Sorcerer_. "Tony?"  
  
_How did he get lost so easily and where did this crowd come from? Out of nowhere, Stephen was being bombarded left and right by passing figures of varying statures draped in cloaks of all kinds._  
  
_What was going on?_  
  
_Soon Stephen halted as he collided with another body. The Sorcerer looked up only to be met with a lethal glare from a--TIGER!_  
  
“注意你要去哪里堆肉。” _the beast snarled._  
  
"What in the Vishanti-" _Stephen suddenly felt a tug to his cloak and fell backwards before meeting with familiar blue eyes._  
  
"Where were you?" _Tony questioned._  
  
"Where were you? I blinked like you said and then you were gone." _Stephen rebutted._  
  
"I told you to--nevermind that." _Tony sighed._ "Come on kiddo, remember the buddy system." _He then turned on his heel and rushed off once more, this time holding Stephen's hand as he wove through the crowd and effectively led the Sorcerer Supreme onwards._  
  
"What is this place?"  
  
"The King of diamonds, a place where spirits from around the world come to trade artifacts and stuff they have in exchange for souls, money or other magical items. I told you this."  
  
"You didn't tell me I'd be meeting a tiger who spoke Chinese"  
  
"Simplified Han actually."  
  
"You understood it?"  
  
"You didn't?"  
  
"No, I've never learned Chinese."  
  
"Well in that case, do yourself a favour; don't talk and don't make eye contact."  
  
_Stephen nodded and the pair proceeded further, although he was told not to speak, the man still made it his priority to examine the scenery around them as they pressed on toward their destination._  
  
_From his position, he could see stalls selling robes and silks, some selling scrolls and books and others trading away staffs and magical weapons. Besides that, the only thing about this place that bothered him was the fact that he and Tony were the only humans here, everyone else was either an animal or some other mythical creature who could speak a language he didn't understand. It was like walking through a zoo market for magic. There were exquisite animals off all kinds that were walking and talking in various languages with other creatures. Parrots, zebras, monkeys, pandas, wild cats and...aardvarks-no armadillos? He couldn't tell the difference but the point was that it was just animals heading the stalls._  
  
_Soon they came to a stop when Tony came to meet the door of a wooden board shop before them and knocked_.  
  
"What is this place?" _Stephen asked._  
  
"Hush." _Tony whispered._  
  
_Soon the door opened as a diseased rat robed in a tattered and wet cloak came to greet them._  
  
"Ahh. Master Stark. It's good to see you." _The rat smiled, revealing it's long, yellow teeth and gods when it spoke, Stephen swore he could smell trash in its breath._  
  
"It's good to see you too Remy." _Tony smiled._  
  
"Who's your friend master Stark?" _Remy inquired._  
  
"Trading partner." _Tony answered._  
  
_Stephen looked to Tony and the man elbowed him in the side._  
  
_Stephen groaned_. "Yes… trading partner."  
  
"A friend, it is good to see that master Stark keeps such fit company." _The rat winked._  
  
_**Disgusting**_.  
  
_Afterwards it extended a rather scaly and mold ridden hand to Stephen. Stephen looked to Tony for help but the man simply gestured his head to the hand and smiled._ "Don't be rude Stephen, Remy is a very good and **USEFUL** friend of mine."  
  
"Vishanti kill me now." _Stephen muttered under his breath as he stretched forth his hand to the rodent._ Expecting _a handshake, Stephen instead had his hand turned flat onto the scaly palm before Remy leaned downward and kissed Stephen's knuckle._  
  
**_Gods end this._**  
  
_Stephen could feel the crusty lips touch his hands as (hopefully) saliva touched his hands and dripped onto his fingers._  
  
_The rat arose and smiled at Stephen before releasing his hand and turning to Tony. Stephen took advantage of the moment and attempted to wipe whatever that was away in his cloak only to find the cloak easing away with every advance he made towards it. Stephen groaned and took to wiping his hand in his robes instead, the action met with the cloak patting his head._  
  
"Beanstalk, let's go, Remy has what we need." _Tony called._  
  
_Stephen glared at Tony_. "Coming."  
  
_Soon enough, Stephen followed behind Tony and they entered the house. It was exactly how you expected a rat's house to look, cluttered, smelling of piss, flies everywhere and small. Stephen had problems even walking through rooms as it seemed that the place was built to only accommodate the rodent's movements. The walls kept pressing into him, he had to avoid every single doorway and it was seriously annoying just how many puddles of liquid he almost stepped. Finally, they came to a dark room with only a table positioned in the centre of the room above a hanging lamp with a book on it's top._  
  
"There it is master Stark, the pages of Merlin's book I've gathered so far." _Remy announced._  
  
_This looked so much like a trap that it was hardly amusing. Stephen looked to Tony and raised a brow while in response, Tony nodded his head._  
  
_It was most definitely a trap and a very stupid one but then again, it was a rat who set up the trap._  
  
_The grandmaster turned to the rat_. "Remy, do you have the pages?"  
  
_The rat perked up in surprise before nodding its quickly_. "Yes master Stark, they're right there. The pages from the book of Merlin as you wanted."  
  
"Remy… don't lie to me." _Tony's voice dropped to a threatening bass._  
  
"I swear master Stark! I do not lie!" _The rat was backing away and soon Stephen caught onto what was going on._  
  
"Crimson bands of Cyttorak!" _The rat took to attempt fleeing but fell flat to the floor when a band wrapped around his foot and began dragging him right back to them as he desperately clawed at the floor board_. "Please master Stark! Remy tells no lies! Those are the pages!"  
  
_Tony growled before twitching his finger, causing the book on the able to levitate over to them_.  
  
"Identica relvae." _Tony whispered and the book shifted into an open bear trap as a smoke of energy puffed into the air_. "Seriously Remy? Why?"  
  
"Master Stark, they told me to do it! They gave me no choice but to do it!" _Remy pleaded_.  
  
"Who told you that?" _Stephen asked._  
  
"A man in a dark cloak, he was tall and he threatened to step on me! Master Stark please, he told me to do it!"  
  
"Do you have the pages?"  
  
"Yes, they're in the cupboard, over there!" _The rat stuck it's thin index finger to the location and Tony immediately headed to ascertain the pages._  
  
_Stephen looked down_ _at Remy_. "What did this guy look like?"  
  
"I couldn't see his face but he wore the drapes you're wearing under his cloak, I thought it was master Stark but then he grabbed me and forced me to take the pages so I could sell them." _Remy elaborated._  
  
"What? Why would he-"  
  
_The light in the room went out and they were in darkness again. It had already been one day with Tony and Stephen found himself being put in pitch-black darkness twice. He was starting to sense a bit of a pattern here._  
  
"Tony!" _Stephen snapped his fingers and small, heatless flame burned in his palms_. "What the hell?" _Stephen maneuvered the flame around the room but still found nothing amidst the darkness_."Tony-" _Stephen stopped in his tracks as he felt a wetness seep into his boots._  
  
"Fuck." _He hissed, stepping backwards as he wiped his heels into the floorboards, relenting that he probably stepped in piss._  
  
_To be sure, he lowered_ _himself to the floor and hovered the flames over the liquid only to find a pool of blood. Stephen's eyes widened and the sound of a crash followed_ _after._

 _He rose to his feet immediately_. "Tony!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So hi, it's me again, if you are interested in this story and want to get early access to new stuff like art, teasers or even lore then I have a place for you, check out my patreon--just kidding.
> 
> Hi, I have a Tumblr, it's new and I set up recently but I'm using this now as a platform for all the stuff I mentioned above, there you can get access to previews and ideas that will influence the story. Anyways, I'm back, peace ✌️ and see y'all later.
> 
> Tumblr Link: https://afro-wizard.tumblr.com/
> 
> Oh yeah also, if you do try to contact me, say "Stark Supreme" so I know you're not spam.


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